


The Pinnacle Of Friendship

by IwriteDreams



Category: World Trigger
Genre: 8 thousands words of my 3 am brain shitting out a request, Comic Con, Comic-Con, I meant gays., Multi, That's it, about your favorite gays dystorying a convention, basically everybody reks a comic-con, did I say gays? I ment guys., pacific Northwest au, that's all this is
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-26
Updated: 2017-07-26
Packaged: 2018-12-07 04:52:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11616258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IwriteDreams/pseuds/IwriteDreams
Summary: you can read the tags, come on guys.I am also literally incapable of writing a fanfiction without Yonemiwa, kill me now.





	The Pinnacle Of Friendship

“I swear, Yuma I know you’re not really human, but you can’t eat like this all the time!” Osamu groaned, handing the cashier a 20, glaring at Yuma behind glasses. Yuma only shrugged, it wasn’t like it was his fault that Meeden had so many great foods, milkshakes for one, were a blessing he would swear by for the rest of his earthly days. Chika elbowed him playfully in the shoulder. “Yeah Yuma, gosh!” 

“How come I get scolded, but Chika doesn’t? We’ve had the same things all day!”

“Because-m I don’t know- Chika, consider yourself scolded as well or something.” The Burgerville worker behind the counter raised an eyebrow at their temporary bickering, as she handed Osamu his change. “We’ll have that ready for you momentarily, sir.”

 

“Thank you.” He nodded, glaring in that stupid way that wasn't really menacing whatsoever, and probably wasn’t supposed to be. 

They step off to the side, as Chika pulls at the bows in her hair. The three of them were at Comic-con, and while Osamu was really just babysitting him and Chika and was not dressed to fit in, Chika was wearing an impressive pink dress and had her cropped hair in two matching ponytails, she carried a branch-like bow and her smile was big, going as Madoka from some magical girl series Yuma didn’t recognize. He went as Red. Osamu had recently got him hooked on the only video game Osamu played. Pokemon. According to Osamu it dealt with strategy and statistics, and was ‘timeless’ but Yuma would bet that the two of them were just playing it for fun. Osamu had a hard time admitting he did anything “Just for fun”. But the two of them sat down with Osamu’s old game boy one night and played all of Pokemon Blue in one night, Yuma ignoring Osamu's protests for sleep hour after hour. A wild adventure on a device like he’s never seen across the neighborhood. Starring some wordless hero, a man Osamu referred to as “red” A hard worker who said nothing and only did. When Chika informed them about an upcoming Comic-con it only seems natural that Kuga venture forth clad in hat and gloves, carrying a small plush of a Squirtle, just like the one he'd raised, named Plaid.

He glanced around the Burgerville as their number was called, sacanning for people also paticipating at the nearby event. He thinks theres a guy in cosplay, but it's a latino boy in a red hoodie covered in patched and earphones, and it's a realistic character, if it was a costume. It only takes him a moment, as Osamu was placing a chocolate milkshake in his hand, he spotted three familiar faces, two clad in cosplay, at the same time they did. Midorikawa jumped up immediately. “Yuma!” He cried. And knowing Chika and Osamu would follow him he bounded towards Midorikawa, Yosuke, and Izumi, sharing french fries at a dark table in the back. 

He only took a couple steps before Midorikawa had his hands wrapped around his torso, hugging him tightly, a goofy grin adorning his face. Wild hair and bright eyes. Yuma could help but glow. Midorikawa was here! Why shouldn’t he be ecstatic?he heard Osamu and Chika arrive behind them before Midorikawa ever let go of him. Finally, MIdorikawa broke away and came out with an excitable torrent of questions. “Hey! Why are you here? Is that cosplay Red from Pokemon? It looks amazing!”

“Yes! Yes! It’s Red, remember when I kept texting you about Pokemon names at 3 in the morning? Yeah that, and I’m here to go to the convention, dummy!”

Midorikawa wasn’t dressed up, but he was wearing a Marvel T-shirt, A rather dynamic Spiderman on it, hanging upside down. Behind him though, Yoneya and Izumi had moved up to say hello to Osamu and Chika. 

Yuma smiled as Yosuke greeted him with a “Hey!” And suddenly, he was wrapped up in a headlock, his hat was knocked off, and He was getting a noogie. A classing Yoneya greeting. And while could’ve gotten out of the headlock easy, he didn’t want to spoil Yoneya's fun. He was in some black jumpsuit, with cardboard metal plated armor. A purple scarf and a sword, that Yuma knows he’s seen somewhere before.

Izumi, who was giving Osamu a hearty High five (Osamu seemed to have forgotten that the A-01 shooter was so loose) He had 2 arms covered in paint, wires, and metallic lines circuiting, up to his hands, was the body paint cut off, but Yuma saw the continuation, painted gloves, on the table. He wore a white collared shirt, and his neck had two painted wires as well. Again, completley fermiler.

Izumi seemes to notice Yuma's staring. 

"Hey there little guy, what's up?"

“Wait… Izumi… are you Genos from One punch man?” Yuma asked, before glancing back over to Yoneya.

“Yeah, dude!” Yoneya chirped. “And who do you think that makes me?”

“...The speed of sound, Sonic?”

 

“Bingo!” 

“He wanted to do some friend cosplay, so he had to adjust for me…”

“Cool, cool.” Yuma agreed, seeing Midorikawa quietly nodded at the door, looking at him mischievously whilst Izumi turned to Chika.

“And our Trion monster is… literally sailor Moon.”

“Madoka Magica.” came Yoneya, Chika’s and Osamu's immediate correction.

Izumi paused, taken aback the simultaneous, deadpan response. “What…?”

“Come on! It’s Madoka, the girl who became a god?” Yoneya groaned. “Come on man, how do you not know this, have you not seen Madoka Magica?”

“Hell no, I haven't! That’s a little girl's show!” He cast a glance at Osamu, begging for backup. “...right?”

 

Chica looked slightly offended, but just took a sip of a strawberry milkshake.

“I mean… I thought it was good.” Osamu mumbled at the floor, looking somewhat afraid of his own mentor.

“You have got to be kidding me.” And Chika can see the respect draining from his face. She would apologize if it weren't gold.

“I cried, like.. Twice.”

Osamu said that, and Chika knew Izumi would never see her Captain the same. It was an understatement too, he cried three times. And, his correction was probably born, less out of love for Madoka Magica, and more in defense of Sailor Moon. Something he dubbed as “A timeless classic.” Right next to Pokemon and Cardcaptor Sakura. He was a special little snowflake himself.

“Hah! Did you cry twice? I only cried once!” Yoneya bragged. “That ending always gets me, man… it’s like watching Maes Hughes die all over again.”

 

“Wait- so you’re telling me you watched that Tokyo-mew-mew garbage and enjoyed it?” Izumi accused, baffled. “And you’re now comparing it to the cinematic and literary masterpiece that is FullMetal Alchemist?”

“Yes!”

“Midorikawa, tell him he’s an idiot,” Izumi said, looking over.

... at the black space were Midorikawa and Yuma had just been.

They all stopped, aside from Chika. “Yeah, those two ran off a while ago.”

 

“It’s okay… I can work without the backup.” He recovers looking around for something to aid his fight, and he finds it.

Izumi smiled, picked up a french fry, and lobbed it at Yoneya. It hit his shoulder with a salty ‘thwap” against the spray painted cardboard shoulder plates.

Chika smiled. She knew what was coming, even before Yoneya growled a soft. “Don’t you dare….”

It was all in fun and games of course. Everything was always fun and games with those two, but as Yosuke picked up three fries to throw back in response Osamu pulled on one of her puffed sleeves. “We should probably leave before-” But it was too late- Izumi grabbed a handful of fries, and tossed them back into Yoneya's face. Blinking through the salt, you eyes suddenly grabbed the bowl of fries, and upturned it into Izumi’s face, smearing ketchup on his cheek. 

They all stood there for a moment, other customers having stopped their meals to see Izumi standing there, clad in cosplay, while a salted, ketchup filled basket of fries hangs off of his face for a moment. 

“Dang…’ Chika sighed. “I was going to steal one of those fries… or three.” Because there really is no stealing just one french fry. Ever.

At this point, some of the security had taken notice, the employees in the kitchen not making any moves to stop it, just staring in disbelief and awe. It wasn’t every day you witness something like this. Unless you’re a member of Border, of course. In which case, this is par for the course.

“Chika, let’s go before they kick us out…!” Osamu’s voice became high pitched in some compromise, tugging the puffy sleeves nervously more. It's cute that he thinks she's going to leave a show like this.

“We’re gonna get kicked out anyway… let me get kicked out watching this go down!”

Osamu huffed but ultimately gave up. Once Chika was convinced there really was no going back. She sipped at her strawberry milkshake as she sees Izumi shake off the fry basket, balling his fists, swearing he would get Yoneya no matter what. 

Truly, the pinnacle of friendship. 

Izumi grabbed fries off of a woman's plate from a neighboring table, a total stranger, hearing her crow of surprise, throwing the whole handful at Yousuke as hard as he could, only Yoneya already popped open a lid of a ketchup bottle. He scrabbled, and stood up on his table, towing over the restaurant of completely innocent people, and Chika, and let out a strangled battle cry as he jumped off the table, squeezing the bottle all over Izumi. Watery tomato sauce projected all over the both of them, Izumi’s hair and white shirt, coated in red, their faces and hands. It became an on the ground tussle in moments. Still holding onto her sleeve, Osamu felt Chika reach into her messenger bag for her phone.

“Don’t you dare- they’ll kill you!” He warned with seriousness. She couldn't tell if Osamu just knew either one of the dou could beat him in a fist fight, or if it was because he respected his mentors, but Osamu took Yoneya and Izumi way to seriously.

“I will not apologize for recording memories...” She smiled, "Or a good time." batting her eyes at him like an innocent angel. She amusingly noted that the cries of the restaurant getting louder when they run out of ketchup, drenched in red stickiness, the empty bottle making uncomfortable squelching noises as Izumi tried to get the last of it on Yoneya's face, who had has temporarily pinned under him. She snapped a fast photo when she sees Izumi grabbing wildly at another bottle, and some underpaid employee finally starts to yell at them. 

They are successfully drenched in ketchup and are kicked out within the moment. 

Osamu grumbled something about it being a bad idea, but as the four of them left, in search of Midorikawa and Yuma, Chika still contentedly sipping at her drink, she nudged Izumi lightly. Seeing a glow, and thinking fast, she made her move trusting that Izumi could be a temporary partner in crime.

He hummed in acknowledgment, leaning down as she whispered a quiet “You think you could pickpocket Yoneyas phone? 20 seconds?” she asks, seeing it unlocked, and already dangling out of his pocket. Forgotten about as he complains about the ketchup stained his scarf. 

 

Izumi smiled, he’d forgotten that while Chika was darling, she had a very devilish sense of humor. “Yeah.. hold on…” He smiled, He chipped in something about his white shirt getting stained, and asking where the nearest restroom was, so they could wash off before they continue their search for Yuma and his friend, and Chika saw his slight hand snag his phone. 

He slipped it to her, and in a matter of moments, she’d opened the contact list, and found the right one. It wasn't under the right name, but when "Miwa Shuji" didn't work, se had a good idea of what his name could be under. She memorized the right phone number, and no sooner had she done that, Yoneya yelped. “Hey! That’s mine!” and tried to dive in front of Izumi and grab it, but it was too late, she had the information she needed. Immediately she cracked open her own phone, letting Yoneya snag his own from her hands, and opened a new message chat. Yoneya huffed, having his phone back in possession before he saw what was open on his screen.

Miwa’s contact information. (his screen name on Yoneya’s phone being “Captain~” preceded by multiple heart emojis)

“DON'T YOU DARE SEND HIM THAT MESSAGE!” He cried immediately, picking up on what exactly she was doing.

“What message?” she asked innocently, but Yosuke knew better. Izumi was muffling uncontrollable laughter into a painted arm, and Osamu was looking at her worried. In that “God, what mess of your do I need to clean up now?” kind of way. 

[ 503-847-2345, Izumi. ]

[ Image sent]

[ I’m sorry to bother you Miwa, this is Izumi… just thought I should help babysit your boyfriend at the convention. Only- I dissed you, and he needed to protect his wifeu… so of course… I present to you, me and Yosuke food fighting. Photo was taken by Chika. ]

She held up her phone proudly, showing all three of them, exasperated, and still sticky. 

“How could you?!” Yoneya groaned. “He’s not- I swear to god- oh you’ve done it now!”

“I have?” She asked.

“Question- why did you say you were me?” He asked. 

“Because you know him well. I don’t want him knowing me as the girl who makes fun of his puppy crush getting in a food fight at a Burgerville that one time. I don’t want him asking me about this… so he can ask you instead.”

“Good plan. I can deal with him.”

“He’s not my boyfriend I swear!”

“Sure he’s not.” Izumi rolled his eyes. “Speaking of totally not obvious gays, let’s go find Midorikawa and Yuma.”

___________________

“Where are we going again?”

 

“I told you! That guy selling sushi in the back of the vendor's hall! JIn should be there with Tachikawa and Usami!”

“Usami? I didn’t realize she was here….” Yuma hummed. “How do you know?”

‘“Jin texted me earlier that he sees a future where we all met up there, and that was like, five minutes ago.”

“I wasn’t aware Jin was coming either…” Yuma admitted, glancing around the convention center. The red and green carpet pattern stretched over the concrete floor of the building, feeling rather underdressed in only a certain t-shirt, gloves, hat and turtle plushie named Plaid when compared to some of the other cosplays around. Impressive wigs, and wings, and horns, tails wired to stand on their own, little androids on sticks, masks, and big heavy boots, staffs and swords, scythes and prosthetic arms and legs. Full bodies of armor. huge people on stilts, people Yuma recognized and not. Well, not people… characters. Yuma swerved a bit away from him, and Midorikawa glanced over in time to see him through his empty milkshake cup into the trash can and sink it with ease.

“So what have you gotten yet? Where have you gone?” Yuma asked, curious about Midorikawa’s whereabouts. “It’s weird it took me one and a half convention days to find you!”

“Not really… this place is enormous.” He said. “You just keep seeing the same people over again because they have the huge cosplays, and they draw your eyes.”

Yuma nodded as Midorikawa lead him through the entrance doors into the Vendor’s Hall. .Artists and merchandise everywhere .plushies and wigs, commissioners, light artists, sewer and printmakers, t-shirt seller's, chefs everything, packed into one little hall.

“I went to a Fire Emblem Support group… really funny. Oh! And a Pokemon Go support group.”

“Dang! I needed that one.” Yuma scoffed. “My phone’s almost dead, I would play it if I could.”

“Me too.” Morikawa agreed. “Dude, we should go on a Pokemon go walk sometime! Go hunting together!”

Midorikawa suddenly looked down at the floor shyly, eyes darting nervously around his feet, as his cheeks suddenly dampened into a slight rosy color. “I mean… if you want something.”

Yuma grinned. “Hell yeah! Sounds like fine!” He reached and seized Midorikawa’s hand in his own, a way to show support on Meeden. “Let’s just, hold this together, please? I might lose you in all the people.”

Midorikawa bit his lip, staring up at Yuma, shaken. “I mean… Sure! He huffed. “I can do that for you man! I mean, let’s- um! Let’s just go!” He flustered, Yuma's hand around his, he turned away, praying to every god he could think of that his face was not as red as it felt. 

They set off in a torrent together, hands clasping for a more comfortable hold, swimming in an ocean of stacked tables and high shelves, tall people and big cosplay parts. So many feet above the two of them, Midorikawa guiding them in what he prayed was the right direction to Jin. If anybody could make him less nervous about spending the day with Yuma, it was JIn.

Midorikawa smiled as he saw the banner for the cart they were after, and sure enough, he saw Tachikawa’s shaggy head with a mouthful of Uramaki clad in a white and blue volleyball shirt, the name printed on the back easily readable Toru Oikawa.

Jin, was matching, only his said Hajime on the back, and they were smiling at each other before they saw Midorikawa and Yuma. Not talking just smiling, and Usami ordered a lemonade for herself at the stand.”Jin!” Midorikawa called out, happily. It was so great to see him. Jin turned to have Midorikawa dragging Yuma towards them by the hand. JIn broke whatever kind smile he had and laughed out a greeting, as Midorikawa gave him a slightly aggressive bear hug. “Hey! Shrimp! You’re here too!” Tachikawa smiled at him”wanna fight me?!”

“Tachikawa, we’re at a convention. Border is a ways away.”

“...right.”

“Usami, Who are you dressed as?” Midorikawa asked her, as she received her own change, and dropped in in a pocket of her hoodie. Half of her face was painted pink, a clear line of separation, with a half white half dink hoodie, and that same half and half pattern for her pants. Mismatched white and pink shoes with what looked like a dipair drawn on the white pants, a little bobble tail, a wand, and two different colored bunny ears.

“I’m Usami!” Usami proudly declared with a wink.

Midorikawa stopped. He didn’t quite get it. He looked at Yuma, but he was just nodding. 

“No, like- who are you dressed as?” Midorikawa asked again. 

“Usami.” She responded again. “Magical GIrl Usami, or… well, Monomi from Danganronpa I guess. I gotcha though!”

 

Yuma laughed. “You came dressed as a character that you share a name with?”

“YuP!” She grinned. “I always liked Usami… once I decided to trust her… or something. I dunno- she’s kinda sketchy, but she was a teacher and helper, and really kind!”

“Sounds about right.” Yuma conceded. “Like, the character and you, it’s similar. The kind of thing I can see you moving.”

“Guess yeah..” She turned around while a man with an apron handed her a lemonade. “Thank you!” She chirped, as she took it, meanwhile Tachikawa was leaning into Jin, noses brushing as he fixed the collar of his jumper for him. 

Boyfriend things.

_____________

The chase began.

A two way game of tag throughout the entire convention center. Jin and Tachikawa had been left behind, Usami with them. Osamu, Chika, Izumi and Yoneya hadn’t been seen since Burgerville, however, Chika did send him a wonderful blurred image of Izumi and Yosuke wrestling on the tiled floor of the establishment, coated in ketchup, salt in their hair, with panicked customers in the background.  
Midorikawa was hard on his heels, a game of chase for no other reason than to run, and run, and run. 

Yuma dodged in between a huge cluster of Homestuck cosplayers, weaving between them as they cried out in surprise, in an attempt to low Midorikawa down a bit, a whirr of gray with warm colors horns in quirky shapes.

There wasn’t any reason to be running about the convention, but at the same time, there wasn’t any reason to not run around the convention. Yuma glanced behind him, feet pounding on soft carpeted floor until suddenly everything starting spinning. 

WHAM

He flipped over, toppling to the floor, tripping and tangling in legs and arms that weren't his own. His head thrashed sharply in a way that probably would’ve hurt him greatly in his real body, dazed for a slight moment after having slammed on the breaks of his reality. Midorikawa cried out in alarm, catching up at a faster pace than he’d been chasing them out of worry. Yuma just blinked down at the poor man he’d rammed into. He was an older man, well kept with a white and blue striped, professional, button up shirt. He was better dressed than anybody, at least, as far as looking as a sane human being gone. The kind of guy that you swear you’ve seen before.

“I’m so sorry!” He said, just like Osamu had taught him. “I wasn’t looking where I was going, I was foolish I-”

 

Midorikawa had caught up, and Yuma was standing on his feet, and offering the man a hand. “Hey… No harm is done” He grumbled, adjusting his glasses. Which fit properly atop a larger nose. He was slightly chubby, though nothing to be of concern, and after the initial shock took Yuma’s helping hand up with a smile, ruffled black hair. 

“Are you guys okay?” Midorikawa asked once the two of them were on their feet, looking the man Yuma had run into up and down before he froze.

“Yes, yes… I’m quite alright.” He said, “And what are your names…?”

 

Midorikawa choked. Yuma looked at the expression on his face, then back at the man. 

Midorikawa finally puts words to his lips. 

“ARe you… Daisuke Ashihara?”

Yuma stiffened. This man…

“Yeah- I was on my way to my panel, didn’t think anybody would notice me in this crowd. He glanced around warily, reminded of the fact that thanks to his collision his reasoning were proven wrong. “You’re familiar with my… books then?”

Yuma had seen him before. He was a face on the cover of a couple of the guides as a special guest. Yuma had loved a couple of this man's comics, he was a genius writer. 

“Yes!” Midorikawa grinned. “I love all of your mangas, they’re so cool! I adore Super Dog Rilienthal! Can I get a picture? And autograph?!”

 

Ashihara put up his hands. It was strange how this famous writer and artist really just looked like… some dude. They didn’t appear to be the gods you thought of them as or the losers you could also expect. They could just… blend in. They were just regular people with a lot of internal interest, rather than external. “I’m afraid I’m… not a big fan of pictures. I’m hoping that the stage my panel is is dark enough to avoid cameras… the event hosters agreed to blur out my face in the videos… not so much luck with the guidebooks but you can’t win them all…”

“THat’s alright, I get it.” Midorikawa nodded. “Autograph?”

Duiske laughed, a deep one from his belly, the kind that was contagious, and made Yuma break into a smile of his own. “Yes of course.” He said, reaching into a back pocket to rummage for a pen. He turned up with a pocket sized, stubby green sharpie. Midorikawa came out with his guide, pointing to Duskes picture.

Maybe running around the convention was a good idea after all. Yuma felt it was worth it, seeing Midorikawa this happy. 

He’d do anything to make him that happy.

____________  
I doesn’t stop. The running, I mean. 

Yuma and Midorikawa, after getting autographs from Diuskie, giddy with themselves for actually running into him and meeting him personally, not just on a stage, left to go mess in the vendor's hall. Before long, they spotted their old group of friends in front of an artist table, who sported super smash brothers merch, lots of Nintendo, and some magical girl prints. Yuma could see Izumi rolling his eyes behind the other three pretending he wasn’t there, while Osamu, Chika, and Yoneya excitedly chatted with the woman behind the counter. Yuma Tugged at Midorikawa’s sleeve lightly as an initiative. “Hey! THere’s our crew.”

“Yeah… Imma put ‘crew’ in air quotes.” Midorikawa teased. “More like our problem.”

“Hey, let's at least ask them how the food fight ended up! I want to know who won!”

“Do you think either Izumi or Yoyan will actually admit defeat?” Midorikawa asked, skeptical, but he was already walking towards them with Yuma by that point. 

“I was going to ask Chika, actually. She was the one who snagged the picture.”

Trotting over the hip to hip, dodging people and the branching costumes (both taking up an equal amount of space, really) Izumi noticed them first. His expression merely became more interested, rather than happy.

“There you two are...” He smiled. “We’ve been looking everywhere for you, or something.”

“What do you mean or something?” Osamu said, once Yuma shifted to a halt before him, as expected, Osamu looked rather peeved. “You ran off without asking and didn't answer your phone! Of course, we were looking for you, we were worried something happened to you!”

Midorikawa looked at Osamu, confused. “Wait, so you trust him to fight neighbors, and trained people with guns, but you freak out and think he’s died when you lose him in a comic con?”

 

“Shut up…” Osamu pouted. Chika shrugged in a very “I told you so” way, clutching to a print she’d just bought from the woman behind her, a smile traced onto her face, as she’s still slowly savoring her strawberry shake from earlier.

“So…” Midorikawa grinned, peering at a strangely quiet Yoneya. “What’s up with him?”

Chika smiled at him, jumping up a little bit, as she reached for her phone. 

“Oh, have I got a text message to show you!” She chirped, and Yuma could barely hear Yoneya’s meek little “no- don’t…” He was mumbling it into his gloved, black hand that covered his mouth. Clearly embarrassed.

[ 503-847-2345, Izumi. ]

[ Image sent]

[ I’m sorry to bother you Miwa, this is Izumi… just thought I should help babysit your boyfriend at the convention. Only- I dissed you, and he needed to protect his wifu… so of course… vowels! I present to you, me and Yosuke food fighting. Photo taken by Chika. ]

[ Izumi, I swear to god, do not call him my boyfriend again! Do you want him to find out? Fuck off, I’m busy. ]

[... thanks though, it’s cute. ]

( enter a message…. ) 

 

Midorikawa stared at the message for a long moment. Yuma also was glancing at him, then they looked back at Yoneya, seeing him cowering behind his hands wordlessly, cheeks reddening. Izumi was silently laughing at him again, his embarrassment on full display. Midorikawa suddenly burst into laughter. Osamu blinked at Yoneya sadly. 

“It’s… kind of unfortunate that this surprises you so much.” He tells him quietly, and Yoneya can’t even growl at him, he looks so overwhelmed. 

“Hold up…” Yuma asked, slightly confused. “Yoneya, you really couldn’t tell?”

“Truly, his stupidity is something else.” Izumi agreed. “I’ve been telling you for years that it was obvious, and there, there’s your proof.”

Yoneya just shook his head, in disbelief. He really didn’t understand it before. Chika didn’t say anything condescending or helpful but looked rather proud that it was her doing to finally end whatever long ass, drawn out courting game the two of them had going on. 

“Look,” Izumi said, helpfully. “Let’s just… walk it off buddy. No need to be this giddy or jumpy or… weird about it. We all pretty much knew. Glad it worked out finally thought.”

Yoneya wordlessly nodded, fingers clenching together like he was trying to hold onto his sanity. “Look, can we just, go?” He asked, word chunky. “Like, can we please just walk around a little bit?”

Osamu shrugged, looking around at the others for any form of objections, “If it’ll help you… then yeah, I guess… let’s head out.”

Midorikawa shagged at Yuma, but Yuma could see he was ecstatic for Yoneya’s victory and was trying to play it cool. They eventually started walking towards the right, though sections of artists. Yuma didn’t recognize a lot of the characters on all the laminated shiny prints and stickers, he couldn't place many of the creatures on the little buttons that decorated boards, or the people on the charms. It became a game of his own to scan for the handful of characters he could recognize. He saw Pokemon when he squinted, and he thinks he saw the characters that Tachikawa and JIn came adorned as. He thinks he saw Usami once too, just a little rabbit with a diaper and bow, wield some weird magic wand. Everybody just walked around in a quiet admiration. Midorikawa pointed out a really cool poster of a Charmander in a chameleon in a Charizard, and Yuma looked for a Squirtle version quickly, but they didn’t have one. THere was a Squirtle plushie atop the vendor's desk, but it was handmade and expensive. They just walked in a pack up and down the cement floor, which was oddly slanted. 

“Oh! Churros!” Chika says, tugging Osamu’s sleeve lightly. “Can we get some?”

“Chika, you already had a milkshake- agg, whatever.” He said, mostly to himself, as too interested “oh!”’s came from Izumi and Yoneya as the trailed right behind her. The stand was a nice peach and white striped, it was a food cart that had been wheeled indoors. It was small, Morikawa could probably touch both ends if he stretched out his arms, and a sweet, warm, cinnamon smell water from the steel top of it. THere was a sizzling sound, as they were being freshly friend, and two people hurriedly rushed back and forth, dusting the dough and putting hot chocolate syrup in containers to dip the churros in- wait-

“Ken and Tokida?” Yuma asked. “What the hell?”

“What the heck, you mean?” Osamu corrected, like a grandmother. 

“Yeah, sure whatever.” He said, waving a dismissive hand at Osmau that made him scowl. Yuma looked a=to Midorikawa. “Do you have an explanation for this?”

Midorikawa nodded and followed Izumi into the line. “Yeah, those two work a food cart at the farmers market on weekends. trying to make some ends meet.”

 

“Make ends meet?” Yuma pondered, even though it was rude to pry, his curiosity wouldn’t rest. “Aren't they celebrities or something?”

“Not so much Ken, and he’s got a big family too… Toki just helps him sometimes.”

Yuma hummed. It somewhat made sense, he guessed. Instead, he stood on his tiptoes, cursing his height, peering over the fair line size, at their costumes. Ken was wearing a blue skin tight suit of sorts with two little machine-like bumps on his head, his chest full of plastic ridges, obviously bought online. It did look good though.

“Is Ken… Shinji from Evangelion?” Midorikawa asked, glancing back at Yuma. 

“Maybe… I haven't seen it, but it sounds familiar.”

“I can’t see well,” Midorikawa said like Yuma could see any better. “Like… does his suit have a number on it?

 

“It says, 0-1”

“So he is Shinji!”

“From what I know about that character though…” Yuma pondered, suddenly pushing to mumble a “sorry” to a person cosplaying a weeping angel, whose wings were getting caught in the crowd behind them. “That’s honestly kind of a sad character to cosplay.”

Meanwhile, Tokida was somebody recognized, with a simple white fur coat over his back and a red mask. He had a regular shirt underneath and no wig, and it looked like he did not’ properly plan it out, and he wore it more as a formality than anything, but he was unmistakable Mononoke from princess Mononoke. 

A girl with a tall black and red scythe ahead of them was thanking Ken for her churros, before walking off and Izumi stood at the front of the line before Ken. 

“Oh! Hey, Izumi! Funny, uh- funny seeing you here!” Ken exclaimed, suddenly taking a rain check as his senior stood in front of him. 

“Hello.” Tokida also greeted him with a distracted smile, handing the girl in the long black coat and pigtails a cup of chocolate.

Izumi seemed to clam up for a moment, eyes darting up and down Kens costume before he finally managed a small response. “Y-yeah! It’s, uh, nice to see you.”

Yuma saw Yoneya stomp his foot down on Izumi's were nither of the Arashiyama squad members could see it, Izumi flinched, then caught Yoneya’s look of disapproval. that, or it was a silent way of communicating to Izumi that he wasn’t being as subtle as he hoped, starting at Ken in a skin-tight suit. 

“It’s a… nice costume.” Izumi somehow supplied, looking like he just gotten a better grip on himself, and was somewhat succeeding at breathing normally. 

“Yeah, thanks! It’s uh… Shinji… Evangelion? Wait- you’re genes from ONe punch! That looks amazing! Did you make it yourself?!”

Midorikawa sighed. “Izumi has absolutely no composure around that guy.” He whispered to Kuga, and without warning, Midorikawa just… link arms with him, tugging them behind Osamu and Chika instead, who were actually ordering from Tokieda, while Ken was suddenly engaged in chatterer. Physical contact was always nice with Midorikawa. It was nice to have something beating, something alive on him. It made him feel dead, but it didn’t make him feel sad, in a way. It made him happy that he was around all of these people who were alive. Midorikawa was the best because he was about as tall as Yuma… and Yuma knew that if he were alive, he would feel just like Midorikawa. Besides, Midorikawa wasn’t shy when it came to holding hands or anything, so it also became common. 

Unfortunately, Osamu felt obliged to not just order their churros either, and he was politely chatting with Tokida as a formality to a mentor of sorts. 

Yuma groaned. “Can we not just get churros? I’ve never tried one, they look amazing…” with Midorikawa clinging to his arm, he shuffled out of the way of a man wearing a huge gray box with a red and yellow decorated pixel front, arranged in a huge “M” Some sort of robot, carrying a microphone. Pushed against the cart now, Yuma’s foot found a little metal cover on the wheel of the cart, and started flicking up and down out of boredom. Midorikawa just hugged onto his arm a little closer as Osamu finally got all of his polite intentions and ordered 4 regular churros, eyes darting back to see them waiting. Chika was anxiously bouncing up and down on her tiptoes. 

Kuga kept clicking the metal piece, and Eventually, TOkida, with fast fingers hurriedly wrapped the burning churros up in paper towels and handed it to them. Midorikawa cheered, and Yuma smiled. Seeing Midorikawa happy was so endearing in its own special way. Izumi was still somewhat caught up in flirting with Ken(?), and by the moment Yuma took a bite, he heard a small snap, and the metal under his foot broke off.

Apparently, that piece of metal?

It was the brake, keeping all the wheels locked up, in the slightly slanted vendor's hall. 

Tokida, who had his hands around a small travel cup of hot chocolate syrup, went to put down the small ladle he’d used only to pour the chocolate, only to find that even by moving his arm straight downwards, the ladle ended up being set on the very right side of the cart. 

Tokida blinked because he’d just scooped the chocolate from a vat in the middle of the cart, and he hadn’t moved, so how did-

Ken was a little preoccupied with Izumi at first to notice that the cart was slowly moving out from under him, admiring Izumi’s perfectly painted arm, with camouflaging gloved hand only to have Yoneya suddenly cry “Guys- the cart!” 

Ken suddenly snore very loudly, causing neighboring vendors to look over, only it was too late because, in his abrupt panic, he’d nudged the cart, adding to its already growing momentum, and even though Izumi lunged to grab the handle at the end, it had already slipped away from them. SUddenly, the cart was racing away, heavy and steel, booking it down what was so conveniently an empty hall.

It gains speed, and the eight of them suddenly snapped out of their trance, Izumi suddenly giving chase, Ken in tow with Yoneya on their heels. Cry’s rang out everywhere as the cart could no longer be stopped safely, and people jumped out of its way as it bounced over cracks in the floor, and rocketed down the isles, towards the double doored entrance, were huge crowds of people mingled outside. 

Osamu and Chika couldn’t budge, and Tokida raised a hesitant hand like he was about to reach out and grab it first, only he’d paused and had been at a standstill for a good couple seconds. In a split second realizing that the cart was a lost cause, his hand dropped, and he just stared DUmbfounded, at the spot where his precious churro cart had just been. 

Yuma had better recovery skills than most. 

“Run.” 

He tugged at Morikawa's arm, and he started, then stumbled from the pull, until suddenly his world was a blur. Apparently, he didn’t even have a moment to think about it, because Yuma was already dragging him by the arm faster than his little legs could even keep up. They skimmed the floor under him in a whir, he was nearly tripping with every step. “Yuma!” He gasped. He could feel his head slamming down with every heavy step from Yuma as they shot away from their crime scene. 

“For frick’s sake.” He heard Yuma growl, still not allowed to swear by Osamu's rules, and suddenly Yuma stopped dead. Midorikawa feel forward in a blur due to forward momentum, crying out, as he saw the world spinning around him, the sushi stand from earlier was somewhere nearby, but he couldn’t tell right from left and forward from backwards as he tumbled down, only to collide, not with the floor, but Yuma’s arms. 

His legs were swung up, and Midorikawa clenched his eyes shut for a brief moment before he realized he was no longer on a collision course with the concrete as a result of their escape. Yuma, Trion body, was carrying him under the knees and behind his back, holding him tightly, the real worry was not dropping him, rather than toppling Yuma over. Midorikawa’s face was red, and he was breathing hard, partly because of the exhilaration that came with fleeing your crime scene trying to escape the security that would no doubt be arriving momentarily, and partly because he was now swooping through the crowds in Yuma's arms. 

For any bystanders… that must be a rather strange scene for them to bear witness to. 

THough it all though, somehow Yuma still had his goddamn churro in hand. Taking his prize and running. Midorikawa couldn’t believe that he had his as well. He looked up at Yuma’s face to see total concentration written on his expression. Their faces were so… close. Yuma didn’t look down at him for even a split second, which gave Midorikawa ample time to stare in shock as the world flew by, and Yuma’s hat blew off. Yuma growled, and his step faltered for a moment as his Pokemon Red hat blew away, stopping like he wanted to stop and retrieve it, only there was no time. They had started now, they would be forced to leave behind evidence. Just watch every Pokemon cosplayer be questioned about the churro cart incident later that day. It wouldn’t surprise him. Then again, after this? Getting thrown around by Yuma all day after a churro cart falls down, and they ran into their favorite author? NOthing will surprise him anymore. 

Suddenly Midorikawa catches a glimpse of a small toddler, waddling towards their parent, dressed as a cubone, with a beige one-z and a felt, homemade skull with a little bone that Yuma couldn't see him. “Yuma! Stop!” Midorikawa cried, and Midorikawa thinks for a moment he got whiplash as everything around him stops dead.

He feels like the world is still coming to him in quaking waves. Everything is out of order and as he was almost thrown out of Yuma’s grasp by the momentum on top of this poor child, Midorikawa reached his arms around, and clunch to Yuma for dear life. He’s breathing heavy, and now he’s scared. He knows that he lives for thrills and fun, but in the moment it was terrifying. He would have lost it completely if it were anybody but Yuma carrying him. 

“Yum-ma… we need to-” Only Yuma’s already skirted around the child, momentarily readjusted his grasp on Midorikawa, and as they clung together, booked it back in the direction they were just headed. “I know… I know- we’re almost out.”

It sounded like that was Yuma’s attempt at a convincing, comforting whisper, but it got lost in the thudding of his feet as the bounce vibrated into his lungs and voice. 

Midorikawa closed his eyes, and leaned against Yuma, burying his face in the crook of his neck without thinking, as his entire world pounded up and down in darkness. 

“THere’s the exit, look, we’re gonna be fine,” Yuma told him before they started to slow down. They were at a stop, and Midorikawa opened his eyes to Yuma dropping him before the exit, the back exit that left the building, rather than just the hall. Yma dropped his legs, leaving him standing, dazed for a moment, close to Yuma and eye to eye with him, Yuma’s arm still holding his back for a moment. Yuma quickly retreated to push the door open with the hand on his back, for the arm he’d had his legs held his precious churro, and they skipped out of the door the moment a voice had come over the PA “We’re looking for a culprit, a small boy in a Red Cosplay that-”

The door shut behind them. 

Midorikawa, if he wasn’t embarrassed before, was burning alive when Yuma reached out to grab his hand.

“Wha- what are you doing?” He asked, realizing that his knees were physically weak, which didn’t help his case because his world was still shaking unevenly. Yuma started leading him away from the convention, a quick walk rather than a run, thankfully, but he wasn’t going anywhere for fun. “I’m making sure you don’t trip and die again. THe security will be out here soon. I’m sure Ken and Tokieda didn’t call the security… we can talk to them later. God knows I have more money than Osamu could ‘SHake a stick at’ so… I think we just should take out leave before our convention passes are taken away, and we can come tomorrow.”

Yuma looked down at himself. 

“I mean… I’ll need a change of costume, but hey.”

Midorikawa smiled. He loved it when Yuma had that go-getter attitude, even more so when it was slightly mischievous. 

“Man, you could always be Shouto Todoroki from My hero academia. You’d need some hair chalk and makeup, and we can half ass the rest, but the scar and half hair would help hide your identity.” Midorikawa suggested. 

“My-hero-what-now?”

Midorikawa mocked a shocked gasp. “Dude, you’ve never seen My hero academia?! Dude, we should totally go back to my place and watch it together!” 

Yuma smiled and nodded, “Yeah! Osamu isn’t so much of an anime fan as he is a cartoon and retro game fan… Chika has particular tastes- oh crap!”

Midorikawa stopped, clenching onto Yuma’s hand, “What is it?”

“These… these churros. Are amazing!” 

Midorikawa laughed. “Is that all?”

Yuma blinked, confused, taking another bite. “What do you mean?”

“I mean… that was… we just had quite the adventure.”

Yuma shrugged. “I’ve had worse, I must say though, you are way more fun to take on adventures then Osamu, or even Chika.”

“Thanks…” Midorikawa mumbled, more to the floor than anything. He just felt they should have more to say then just… the end after an experience like that. He took the first bite of a churro that was starting to get cool. It was good, even without the chocolate. 

THeir steps tapped on the pavement below them as Yuma quietly gauged how far away they would need to be before they could really consider themselves… safe from authorities. Midorikawa decided he wouldn’t call it a day until he was fully satisfied, and with very few people around, all people in cosplay staring at their phones outside waiting to be picked up, he took a bit of a risk, realizing he could… twist it a bit with some friendly lies. Or… maybe it was taking a risk and leave it hanging until Yuma finally realized. Making it somebody else's choice when he finally got his happy or not so happy ending. 

Midorikawa pulled Yuma in and gave him a fast kiss on the cheek.

Yuma went rigid under him, and Midorikawa just felt unprepared. He’d never really...done anything like that with anybody else before.

“What was that?” Yuma asked after a moment, and Midorikawa suddenly felt like he was before an audience of hundreds of thousands of people. Yuma’s hand was.. Oddly lifeless, and his cheek didn’t hold any more life or warmth than his hands, as it turns out.

“It’s an E-Earth thing.” Midorikawa hastily explained. Come on, you can do this, I promise you you can. 

“It’s uh, it's something you do for the person you really you like.” 

“Somebody, you really like? I mean… Osamu’s never done it… or Chika…”

“Well- uh!” Midorikawa probably hadn’t thought through this whole plan. “It’s usually, well… it’s customary to like, save it for one person alone… like, you’re very best friend. Like, a friend you like so much they may as well be family who you’ll never get bored of, and never be mad at.”

“So… You’re giving me that, that status?”

Midorikawa suddenly came up with the rest of his story. “I mean. Yeah… I guess I was saving that for somebody like you, and here you are. SIde note, people don’t talk about who they give that status too… it’s just not something you do.”

Yuma nodded, chewing his lip like it was way more complicated than Midorikawa was telling him it was, even if all of this was some warped excuse. “Okay… I’ll trust you then… It felt nice, I liked it.”

Midorikawa smiled. “Yeah… it just feels right, doesn’t it?” And his grinning to himself because this was a great idea. 

Suddenly, Midorikawa grinds to a halt, rocking where he stands as Yuma grips his arm, pulling him back to stay in place, and kisses his cheek in turn.

Midorikawa may as well die where he stands. Kuga’s lips are still just lifeless, no warmth in them, not cool either, just smooth and suddenly there on his cheek. It’s strangely more satisfying than anything else. It’s amazing in its own weird way, it just works.

“Yeah… it does feel right.” Yuma nodded. 

“Wait- are you sure you want to waste that on me?!” Midorikawa stutters. “What about Osamu? Or- or Chika? Why me?”

“Because you are as close to family as I have,” Yuma admits. “And I can never see me fighting with you, and as much as I love my team… they’re more of a foster family, and you feel more like an extension of… me.”

“I mean- uh, I'm not sure- well- I guess- huh- maybe-” Midorikawa begins to stammer inconsistently, everytime he opens his mouth to say a sentence, a different sentence pops up, then again and again. 

Yuma shoots him a strangely nervous look. He’s never really seen him… Nervous before. “Just- are you okay with it or not?”

Midorikawa stared at his feet, took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. “I mean, of course, I’m comfortable with it, yeah…”

“Then no more muttering to yourself, you don’t need to be scared of me!”

Yuma flashes him a trademark goofy grin, and Midorikawa settles. Chewing on churros happily, ready to scrounge up some new disguise for tomorrow, they walk hand in hand, and Midorikawa knows that everything is going to be alright.


End file.
